To think we could make housing estates like Center Parcs re cars

[QuertyGirl]

The USP of Centre Parcs is for many, the fact that they are mostly car free. Kids can play out and ride their bikes like I did when I was kid.

Can't do that now due to the amount of cars, speed and size of cars and, attitude of some car drivers.

People (including myself) pay a small fortune to holiday at CP.

Why can't we make housing estates more like that?

Communal car parks in walking distance, deliveries by small electric vehicles from a hub (like old fashioned milk floats), exemptions for blue badge holders and funding for electric mobility scooters for those that need them.

Yet, if the council suggests a couple of cycle lane and all hell breaks loose.

And you've no idea about the weight and size of a mobility Scooter

Yes, I always think when I see those TV adverts for the ones that 'only' weigh 20kg when folded - 3 stone or so isn't that much for a fit, able-bodied young-ish person, although you have to be able to lift it high and into the boot; but the typical user of a mobility scooter (and also their spouse if their main reason for needing it is age) could really struggle with that, if they don't have somebody with them to help every time.

Well you are so problem focused that you are never going to look at solutions. So don’t live there then! If it’s IMPOSSIBLE not to have a car. But telling other people that it could never work is just very bah humbug and also so car centric. And plenty of disabled people negotiate transferring onto buses etc from scooters etc, it’s just where there is a will there definitely is a way.

But if you don’t want to, why be so negative about others that do? Especially if we are saving the planet for you.

"Especially if we are saving the planet for you."

oh my god.

Drmarciafieldstone, do you have a rain coat?

Well don’t live there then if you have to have a car! And people with disabilities do have other forms of transport than cars, they can get down to their car in a scooter if they want to live somewhere like that. You are really picking at this now. No system is perfect, but advantages are huge. Including for disabled people. There could be better community support systems

I know a lovely lady who is 99% reliant on her little mobility scooter. The 1% is left for the times she goes from scooter to toilet, or hoists it up into her car, and she has to slowly hobble to the driver's seat.
A little scooter that can fit in her car wont be able to carry all her shopping etc from car to house in OP's little idealic world.

@WalkthisWayUK I can't afford to move.

I'm also physically disabled. I can't walk without crutches and I'm heading for a wheelchair.

I don't have other options than to use my car.

Well she could choose not to live there then. Why is OP being ‘little idealistic’ when it would work for so many others! Why would you put that down and belittle it?

I love the idea of reducing our reliance on cars and having communities built around pedestrians, bikes etc. But you'd be up against a brick wall due to the mentality of people in this country. If anything we are headed in the other direction and becoming more like America where you have to drive everywhere and pedestrians and cyclists are not even an afterthought. The decimation of our high streets and public transport systems continues apace while out-of-town retail areas boom. Sad.

There is one bus A day to my village in and out and it's rammed. It's a school bus back and forward.

But sure. Everyone else is saving the planet FOR ME and that wasn't a horrible ableist post aimed at me at all.

Do you know how many rapes, muggings, stabbings etc happen on streets at night? Are you happy to risk it for your child aged 16?

Well don’t live in somewhere like that then. But why, because you wouldnt’ want to, is it a bad idea for others that do?

The op is talking about converting places like where I live. She said that in one of her posts.

But you're vile and ableist and I don't appreciate you bullying me.

As someone who works regular on calls and can leave the house at random anytime between 8pm and 8am, I wouldn’t feel safe walking 10-15mins in the dark to get to my car.

My 94 yo Grandma has recently traded in her car for a mobility scooter. It's removed the worry of maintaining a car and interestingly given her more freedom. She can now park right outside the library/shop/GP surgery before zipping off to her knitting circle instead of having to battle for a parking space, pay for parking on her mobile phone (which is not within her comfort zone) and walk the last 100 yards with a stick.

If it's the only home your offered you have no choice. If you become disabled after moving there you have no choice. I'm reality this sort of housing is most likely to be for social housing or affordable homes because any measure to improve environments hits poorer people not those who can afford new cars or to pay charges.

Yes it’s real head in the sand stuff and so car centric. I do feel that it’s particularly low and picky some of the anti arguments.

We DO have to reduce car use. Car emissions in the UK are around 30% of our emissions. It’s simply not sustainable. If you are disabled and cannot do without a car then it is in your interests to support others giving up their cars, because we cannot go on like we have without great harm coming to us and the planet.

Car accidents and related harms are also a factor. To reduce this is a good thing.

Making our environment safer and better for people to enjoy is also a good thing.

Please do rush to let the whole nation know that you've single handedly solved the issue of women being able to safely walk alone in the dark.
We just need to not worry about it. Sorted.

I live in a small village, and we both love it here. It’s quiet, the pace of life is slow, we have good dog walking places right on the doorstep, the air quality is better, there’s much less traffic - I could go on, but basically I would hate to live in a busy urban area now. I did when I was younger, and it suited me then - it suited dh and I when we got married and when the kids were younger - but now I would hate it if I had to move into a city or busy, packed town, and it would have a negative effect on my mental health.

I suspect this is why a lot of people choose to live in rural or suburban areas, @SpaceMonitor - and while I can’t speak for all of them, I can say that we knew moving here would make us more reliant on our car - I don’t think that makes us lazy. Dh (and the boys when they lived here) use public transport wherever possible - and I suspect our bus service is as good and frequent as it can be, whilst remaining financially viable - but it doesn’t work that well for people with jobs that start or finish outside of standard office hours.

The bottom line is that everyone cannot live in cities/towns with ample public transport - plenty of us really don’t want to, and we need agricultural workers living in the country, to grow our food. The countryside isn’t just a nice place for townies to visit - it is our home.

I’d rather be lazy and pampered than a judgemental twat

Horrible idea, I’d absolutely hate it, especially when the weather is bad. Also, I’m a district nurse, so need to park by patients homes.

The level of anger on this thread is somewhat surprising. No one's suggesting it's made compulsory tomorrow- just that town planners and house builders could consider moving away from the car being the most important factor. What if these new housing estates included better, safer walk ways, charging points for mobility scooters and electric bikes, better bus access to shops and services. I think we need to open our minds to these possibilities.

In every scheme that I’ve seen, including car free cities, disabled people who need to use a car are allowed as exceptions and can keep their cars. I would think it’s highly unlikely that disabled people would be forced to be housebound and not have a car. There has been no case I know where car reduction areas have penalised disabled people, mostly there are huge advantages to many disabled people, many of whom find places with cars quite difficult if they are wheelchair bound, have a guide dog, a stick or mobility issues.

I think this is an unfounded fear.

It's possible to be lazy, pampered and judgemental - name calling on an Internet forum, - nice behaviour

The op Is planning to convert existing estates.

Don't disagree that walking would do most of us a lot of good - but totally both impractical and more importantly impossible for many. Blue badges are not issued indiscriminately and there are plenty of people who would struggle to walk that distance if carrying heavy shopping etc who wouldn't qualify for a blue badge